Well tester



G. A. HUMASON 1,833,362

I WELL TESTER Nov. 24, 1931.

Filed Nov. 29. 1929 Z GRANVILLE A.HUMA5ON INVENTOR BY QR JZZW 112 6 CM? ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 24, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GRANVILLE A. HUMASON', OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO 3'. A. LOGAN,

OF HOUSTON, TEXAS 'W'ELL TESTER Application filed November 29, 1929. Serial No. 410,369.

My invention relates to a device for testing formation encountered in drilling a well to ascertain whether the stratum encountered is productive of gas or oil in suflicient quantities to be of commercial value.

In the older method of testing wells it was common when a stratum was encountered which was thought to be a producing stratum to cement the casing in the Well and thus shut ofl the entrance to the lower end of the well of water from above and then by means of a bailer or swab to make a test of the formation and ascertain whether production has been encountered.

This method is very expensive and formation testing tools have therefore been developed which are designed to obtain a sample of the fluid from the bottom of the well without the necessity of cementing. A closed container is lowered to the bottom of the well and a packer is employed to fit between the drill stem above the container and the wall of the well so that no liquid can be admitted from above the producing stratum.- A. sample is then taken of the producing fluid from the bottom of the well into said container and the container is then removed from the well.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved form of well tester of this character which may be simple in. its construction and positive in its operation so that there is nodanger of damaging the well.

I desire to provide a chamber which may be attached to the lower end of the drill stem having means adjacent the chamber to pack oil the space between the drill stem and the casing or wall of the Well and so arranging.

the chamber that it may be opened and closed while in position at the bottom of the well.

The invention consists largely in the particular construction and arrangement of the parts making up my well tester and reference is made to the drawings for a more particular understanding of this construction.

In Fig. 1 is shown a central vertical section through a formation and showing my invention therein, the device being shown with the sample chamber closedwvhich is the position of the parts while the tool is being passed either in or out of the well.

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the lower end of the tester showing the sample chamber in open position to receive the sample of the formation and the packer expanded to engage the formation.

In the drawings I have shown the well as having been drilled through a formation A. My invention is adapted for installation in the Well bore and includes an upper supporting collar 1 threaded at 2 for connection with the drill stem 3. It has an inner shoulder formed at 4 upon which is supported a flange 5 upon the eduction tube 6. The collar 1 has a locking ring 7 screwed there-in above the flange 5 of the eduction tube and I contemplate the use of packing rings or washers 8 above and below the flange 5 so as to allow ready rotation of the flange relative to the collar and to assist in preventing leakage about the swivel thus provided. With this construction the eduction tube will move vertically with the collar 1, but may rotate with respect thereto.

The body of the tester comprises a barrel 9, which is threaded at its upper end to engage on the inner side of a packer head 10. This head serves to retainthe packer 11 in proper position and is reduced in diameter at its upper end and threaded with a coarse lefthand thread at 12 to engage on the interior of the collar 1. A close fit within the head 10 about the eduction tube 6 is provided I attachment of the packing sleeve to the head 10. The packer is preferably made of rubber or some similar compressible material and I have reenforced the ends of the packer by means of rings or sleeves 16 of metal imbedded within the rubber when it is molded.

The inner ends of these reenforcing rings are provided with teeth or serrations inclined outwardly, as shown in the drawlng, so as to resist the tearing of the rubber away from the reenforcing ring. One or more ins 17 are extended radially through the siirt 15 and through the upper end of the packing sleeve and engaged within the barrel 9. In this way the connection between the packing sleeve and the head 10 is made secure.

The lower end of the packer engages about the barrel 9 and is slidable with respect thereto. The packing sleeve 11 is secured at its lower end to a bushing 18, which fits about the barrel 9 and has a seat 19 upon which the packing sleeve may rest. There is an outer metallic ring 20 connected to the bushing 18 and pins 17 are extended through the sleeve 20 and the inner portion of the bushing 18 so that the bushing will slide with the packing. Said bushing 18 is tapered downwardly at its lower end and has a threaded connection at 22 with a housing 23 which is closed at its lower end by means of a cap or bull plug 24. The housing 23 has a series of openings 25 therein at the lower end to allow the entrance of fluid from the formation.

The barrel 9 is closed at its lower end by means of a plug 26. Said plug has a radially extending pin 27 fitting within a longitudinal slot 28 or in one of the openings 25 in the housing 28. This allows the housing 23 to slide vertically relative to the barrel 9 but prevents relative rotation of these parts. Above'the plug 26 the barrel has a series of openings 29 for the entrance of fluid to the barrel. The plug 26 has a tapered cupshaped upper end adapted to form a seat 30 and to fit closely about the lower end of the eduction tube 6. When the device is in closed position the eduction tube fits snugly within the seat 30, thus preventing the entrance or escape of fluid to or from the sample chamber 40 within the tube 6. It will be seen, however, that when the barrel and the plug 26 are moved downwardly relative to the eduction tube the tube will be withdrawn from its seat 30 and fluid may find entrance through the openings 29 in the barrel and around the lower end of the eduction tube. This will be understood from Fig. 2 where the barrel has been moved downwardly away from the lower end of the tube.

The outer surface of the tube 6 is formed with a flange 31 adjacent the upper end of the barrel 9, said flange being adapted to engage a lower shoulder 32 on the head 10 when the said head has been screwed downwardly relative to the tube a sufficient distance. This flange, therefore, limits the relative longitudinal movement of the head 10 with respect to the tube.

The drawings illustrate a ball valve and cage 35 of ordinary construction as arranged inthe lower end of the tube 6. With this construction the sample taken will be retained in the tube by this valve as well as by the sealing of ihe seat 30.

18 overlies the openings 29 so that the an-- nular chamber between the barrel and the tube is also closed when the tool is lowered v into the well. This prevents unnecessary contaminations of the sample when it is taken by water or other liquid in the well bore. lVhen the tool reaches the bottomv of the well the weight of the pipe above is rested upon the bull plug 24. and the housing 23 so that the bushing 18 will be moved upwardly relative to the head 10 and barrel 9, thus compressing the packer longitudinally and expanding it laterally to closely engage the casing. The expanded position of the pack er is seen in Fig. 2. When the bushing 18 moves upwardly it uncovers the openings 29. The expanded packer prevents movement of the head 10. The drill stem will then be rotated so that the lefthand threads will screw the lower end of the collar 1 upwardly on the head 10. As the eduction tube 6 has a swivel connection at 5 with the collar 1 it will be moved upwardly with the collar and thus raise the tube from its seat 30 at the lower end of the barrel and open a passage for liquid from the formation into the sample chamber 40.

lVith respect to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the liquid will enter through openings 25 and 29 to the lower end of the barrel and into the tube 6. lVhen suflicient time has been allowed for the entrance of gas, oil or water into the sample chamber, the tube will be then again forced back into its seat by rotation of the drill stem in the opposite direction and when the tube has reached its seat in the position shown in Fig. 1 the device may be withdrawn from the hole. The length of the threads 12 is such that the collar 31 will prevent the coupling 1 from unscrewing completely from the head 10. It will be noted that when the weight of the drill stem is raised from the packer that it will contract sufficiently so that it will no longer engage the casing and may be withdrawn without difliculty. The valve 35 and the lower end of the bushing 18 assist the seat 30 in forming a seat to retain the sample taken from the formation. WVhile I have shown lefthand threads as a means of causing longitudinal movement other means may be adopted if desired.

The advantages of my device lie in the simplicity of the structure and the simple and positive manner in which the device is operated. It is adapted to operate in an open hole without the necessity of a rathole ahead and can be used readily whenever a test is desired without any preliminary preparations.

What I claim as new is: a

1. A device for testing wells including a drill stem, a collar thereon, a packer head having a threaded connection therewith, a barrel on said head, a packer sleeve on said barrel and secured to said head, a housing at the lower end of said packer above which said packer sleeve may be supported slidably relative to said barrel, a seat within the lower end of said barrel, and an eduction tube having a swivel connectionwith said collar and extending into said barrel and having its lower end normally closed by said seat, there' being openings for fluid to said barrel above said seat.

2. A device for testing wells including a drill stem, a collar thereon, a packer head having a threaded'connection therewith, a barrel on said head, a packer sleeve on said barrel and secured to said head, a housing at the lower end of said packer above which said packer sleeve may be supported slidably relative to said barrel, a seat within the lower end of said barrel, an eduction tube having a swivel connection with said collar and extending into said barrel, and means including said seat to normally close the lower end of said tube, said tube being moved from said seat by the rotation of said drill stem.

3. In a well tester, a drill stem, a barrel, a packer thereon, means to move said barrel and packer downwardly relative to said drill stem, a housing below said packer, the lower end-of said, barrel having a sliding connection therewith, a tube having a swivel connection with said drill stem, and a seat in said barrel normally sealing the lower end of said tube, said-tube being moved from said seat by the relative longitudinal movement of said barrel and tube.

4. In a well tester, a drill stem, a barrel,

a packer thereon, means to move saidbarrel and packer downwardly relative to said drill stem, a housing'below said'packer, the lower end of said barrel having a sliding connection therewith, a tube having a swivel connection with said drill stem, a seat in said barrel normally sealing the lower end of said tube, said tube being moved from said seat I by the relative longitudinal movement of, said barrel and tube, and means to limit the relative longitudinal movement of said packer and said drill stem.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my day of November, A. D, 

